Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-10-08

Astrological GolOsh Which Belonged
to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Stories.
The Turks, from the highest to the
lowest, are all prey to the devoutest
superstition. The office of Munedjim
Bashi, or court astrologer, still exists
Its present occupant, Hadji Tahir Eff
fendi, was until 1877 president of the
council of education, and during the
short existence of the Turkish Parlia-
ment, nine years ago, was created sem
ator. His duties are not of a very COM
pick kind, but they have an important
bearing on political and social move
ments. For every action of the Sultan
and his ministers he has to
calculate the most propitious day,
hour and even minute; and he
publishes annually an almanac, in
which, for the benefit of the whole Mo-
hammedan population, the days are speci-
fled on which it is best to have the hair
cut or the nails trimmed, to take medi-
cine, or to be bled, to visit friends, to
buy houses, lands, or slaves, to under
take journey, and even to do nothing.
Next to the Koran no work is more
widely studied among the subjects of the
padishah, and it is very doubtful whether
even the great evangel of the Prophet is
more scrupulously obeyed.
Tremendous stories are sometimes re-
lated with the utmost naivete by the
Moslem newspapers. Not long ago the
Bassiret announced that Kurdish sheikh
in Central Asia possessed "nalin," or
wooden golosh, that had belonged to the
prophet Mohammed Straightway the
sheikh was commanded to bring his pre-
cious relic to STEAMBOAT, and deposit it in
the imperial treasury. The holy golosh
was brought overland to Samsun under
imposing escort, and thence by special
steamer transported to Constantinople,
where it was received by the grand vizier
and the whole ministry, and carried by
them to the old Serai, followed by a
brilliant procession. The only evidence Of
the genuineness of the golosh was few
stories told of it by the newspapers.
These related principally to the journey
from Central Asia to Europe, and de-
scribed how the stormiest waters became
still when the golosh embarked upon
them, and how troops of the widest
animals surrounded the horse which car
ried it during the overland journey, rev.
erently guarding and escorting it certain
distances. Morris this credulity confined
to the common people or even the mid
die class. 1t is, for example, popularity
believed that the Hebrews possess the evil
eye; and when in 1874 the village of Ka-
dikoi was destroyed by an earthquake,
poor Israelite named Bohor Levi was ar
rested on suspicion of having predicted
the catastrophe, and pasha of education
seriously examined him on the charge.
Still more recently an astounding exam
pie of superstition displayed itself in
the Constantinople municipal council.
Near the Adrianople gate is a large
open field belonging to Raouf Pasha.
The owner applied to the authorities for
permission to build on it; and it was re-
fused, on the ground that, according to
an ancient tradition, there is subterra-
mean and submarine road running from
the field in question to the Vatican at
Rome, and that the Pope travels through
it to Constantinople every New Years
eve. Consequently, argued the civil
sages, if the field were built over the
road might be stopped up, and there
would then be quarrel with the unbe-
lieving pontiff, which might end in
serious struggle between Islam and
Christendom. This decision was given
by the president of the municipal coun-
eli Edhem Pasha-not the yizier of that
name, but a brother-in-law to the late
Sultan-and it was soberly recorded in
the minutes of the council and in the or
thodox press of the country.
Some curious stories of Turkish super.
stition are related The mysterious ca
price with which DISTINGUISHED arrivals
at Constantinople are treated by the Sui
tan and his ministers is explained bx an
anecdote told of the we'll known astron-
omer Peters when he visited CONSTANT
NOBLE in 1850 with letters of introduction
from Humboldt and other eminent men
of science. Ha found it impossible to